Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-04
EQUITY and THE LAW.
An interesting Case Brought Before
Indian Agent Owens at Muskogee.
How Fortune was Sunk,
A Cattle Syndicate Formed TO do BuSi-
ness in the Territory Through
d Cherokee Preacher.
The Indian Turns the Cattle Over 10 the
Big Men of the Syndicate and the
Little Ones are Left.

Special to the Gazette.
TALLEQUAH, l. T., March 2.-Ihe most
interesting case that has occupied Indian
Agent Owens time tor 3 long while,
forced itself upon him few days ago,
a large syndicate formed in Tennessee,
Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri 10 20
into the cattle business in the l1dian
Territory, and the only thing lacking was
an Indian to claim their interests here,
so they procured one q. 7. Thompson,
Cherokee by blood and late Of Tennessee
and g distinguished preacher in the Pres
byterian church, to claim their interests
here and protect them as far as their cat
tie was concerned, etc, thus giving them
the advantage of grass and other DriYl-
leges which he could do through his
Indisn blood. The syndicate invested
about 100000 and put it in the name OF
the Indian Cherokee, q. T. Thompson, SO
as to avoid taxes, etc. The last two or
three winters, with the exception
of this, having been hard, they
lost lots of money by cattle dying
and such like. The syndicate becoming
dissatisfied split and turned in to beat
one another. Thompson bought COCO
head OF cattle with the money furnished
him by them and turned them loose on
the Cherokee range aS he hGd 8 right 10
do by mis- blood, but ewing TO severe
losses, caused by hard winters, the syn
dictate became dissatisfied and wanted to
quit the business, though the larger por-
tion of them wanted 20 withdraw even if
they could Only realize 80 cents CT the
dollar. They induced Thompson TO make
them bill of sale Of the cattle on hand,
aoout 5000 head. TEis bill OF sale was
only made toithe big men in the syndicate
and the little ones were left out, ou5
Thompson took it as o clear release of
all his obligations aud turned the stock
into the state 10 them, being compelled
by the Secretary Of the Int TiOr 20 do
this since he had made the bill of sale, but
the facts leaked out and only three men
of the syndicate OF five had agreed 20 the
settlement. a gentleman from Missls-
sippi and two men from illinois were the
parties to the syndicate who would be
glad to realize 80 cents on the dollar for
their investment, sud these three men
gave Thompson, the Indian, $500 over
and above all expenses to turn the 5000
head of cattle over to them. Buchanan
and Parks, the little men in the syndicate,
now say they never knew anything of the
transfer and that they have been in
gloriously ignored in the whole transac-
ton. Finding that Thompson did
not give up the improvements
he haa made in the Nation
on the original investment, they brought
action before the United States Indian
agent at Muskogee to try to force Thomp-
son to sell his improvements in the Ma
ton made with the syndicate's money TO
recompense them. They axe out very
equitable case, but the intercourse laws
end treaties will protect Thompson,
though he be in the wrong. The case is
now before the Secretary, but he can
only decide they have been ingloriously
duped by fooling with Indians
This case goes to show that non-citi-
zen has no guarantee for what he invests
in the Indian country contrary to the
statute and the treaty. Buchanan 6
Parks Will never force Thompson to sell
his improvements here for their benefit;
and furthermore, the other three men
would never have forced Thompson to
turn over anything unless be had vClun-
tarily done SO. To sum it up, the plain
tiffs have the equity and Thompson has
the law. One hundred and fifty thousand
dollars was sunk on the deal, Thompson
getting about $40, 900. Thompson is now
living in handsomely appointed resi-
dence in Springfield, Mo, preaching to 8
congregation, and still mas
q right here.